Liquid-piston type compressor system



Oct. 4, 1932. J. G. DE REMER I 1,880,241

LIQUID PISTON TYPE? COMPRESSOR SYSTEM Filed March 12. 1927 M4441 Y Del rerv 2 g I h A TT EYS.

Patented Oct. 4, 1932 Wire sATss PATEN JAY G. DE EEMER, OF GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO 3. G. DEREIVIER RESEARCH CORPORATION, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY; A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY LIQUID-PISTON TYPE COMPRESSOR SYSTEM Application filed March 12, 1927. Serial No. 174,900.

The invention relates to pumping or compressing systems in which a relatively dense liquid, such as mercury, is used for compressing a fluid medium such as the refrigerant in a compression refrigerating apparatus and its purpose is to safeguard such systems from derangement resulting from the displacement of the dense liquid. The means for accomplishing this purpose are susceptible of embodiment in diflerent forms and are herein shown in the form preferred because of its simplicity.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a known compressor of the type referred to, employed in a household type refrigerating machine and shows the invention applied to it. Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively vertical and horizontal enlarged sections of the trap and returning means for the dense liquid as later described.

The compressor taken for illustration operates on the principle disclosed in Patent 1,373,175, and may be briefly described as follows: The compressor proper, marked 1, is journalled in an inclined position, in a revolving frame 2 which revolves about a vertical axis, on the base 3. The frame is driven by an electric motor, or otherwise, through a friction-drive represented by a pinion 4 engaging a friction ring 5 fast to the frame. The mass of the compressor proper including the mercury therein is counterbalanced by a weight 6. The compressor proper is held against rotation on its own axis by means of its conduit connections (17 and 18) to the apparatus served by it so that it is merely carried around by the revolving frame, revolving with it and always at an angle to the axis of rotation. It contains a 111358 of mercury marked 7 which, by virtue of the centrifugal effect, occupies the position indicated in the drawing when the compressor is in action. A helical groove 8 formed in the compressor body, concentric to the axis of said body connects a chamber 9, at the top of the body with a lower chamber 10 at its bottom, and, due to the rotation, the body of mercury in the top chamber is continuously screwed down through the channel into the lower chamber returnin throu 'h the central tube 11 back to the upper chamber 9, which it reaches through the transverse holes 12.

The opening fromthe upper chamber 9 into the helical channel 8 does not appear in the sectional view, Fig. 1, but it will be understood that as the body rotates, such opening becomes submerged in the mass of mercury in the chamber 9 once for each. revolution, with the result that the mercury passes into the helical channel 8 in the form of a series of slugs and the space between the slugs is occupied by the vapor or fluid medium to be compressed which occupies the rest of chamber 9 and is introduced into that cham her through the intake 16 in the stem of the compressor and through the holes 12. As

the slugs progress down the helical channel they act as pistons putting the fluid medium between them and in advance of them under pressure. The compressed medium escapes from the mercury in the lower or high pressure chamber 10 and passes thence upwardly through the annular passage 13, the ducts 14, into the annular delivery conduit of the compressor which is formed in the compressor stem and marked 15, being concentric to the intake 16, while the mercury flows upwardly in the'tube 11 as stated and back through the holes 12 into the low pressure chamber 9, to continue its circuit.

The connection of the intake and delivery conduits to the refrigerating or other apparatus served by the compressor is made, in the present instance, by means of two spiral tubes, 17 and 18, according to the principleof glandless conduit connection disclosed in Patent 1,597,182, which need not be here described further than to say that the delivery connection is formed by the flexible spiral tube 17 and the intake connection through the twin spiral 18 placed just below it. These spirals as above stated suflice to hold the compressor body against rotation on its own axis while allowing it to accommodate the change of position incident to its rotation with the frame.

As already stated the compressor just described has been taken for illustration only, and any other compressor of the liquid-piston type could be used in its place so far as the present invention is concerned. In the present case the compressor is intended to be used as part of a refrigerating system for which purpose it is assembled with the condenser 20 in a frame 21 which can be shipped as a unit, and inserted in a refrigerator box and there connected by its couplings 22 and 23 to the inlet and outlet of a vaporizer coil in the box. The refrigerating cycle need not be explained, but it will be understood that the operation of the compressor is intermittent under the control, usually, of a thermostat or the equivalent. 7

As constructed prior to the present invention the organization shown has been subject to the objection that on certain occasions the mercury escapes from the compressor, finding its way either into the intake or delivery conduit, or into the condenser, or elsewhere where it is not available to serve as pistons for the fluid. Such displacement may occur for example after a shutdown from the expansion and vaporization of liquid refrigerant trapped in the channel or compressor, or it might occur during the course of shipment of the unit, the effect in this case being to deprive the compressor of the amount of mercury requisite to its eflicient operation and necessary to maintain the proper balance established by the counterweight so that it fails to function properly when its rotation is started or next resumed.

To avoid these mishaps the present invention contemplates the provision of a. collecting chamber in one or both of the conduits which connect the compressor to the condenser and vaporizer, such chambers being of adequate capacity to receive and re-- tam any dlsplaced mercury -11'). position to return it to the compressor as soon as the abnormal condition has ceased to ex1st or the operation of the compressor is resumed. vThe collecting chamber for the delivery line of the compressor may be exactly the same as that for the intake line, except that one is connected in the system in reverse relation to the other, so that the bottom of the chamber is always connected directly to the compressor regardless of the direction of the refrigerant through it. In Figs. 2 and 3, the collecting chamber, marked 24, has its bottom outlet 25 connected to the spiral connector tube 17 when used on the delivery side of the compressor and to the intake tube 18 when connected on the intake side. The side or opposite opening 26 is connected to the condenser 20 on the delivery side and to the coupling 23 on the intake side and this opening is placed so that displaced mercury moving away from the compressor in the delivery tube, or in the intake tube, as the case may be, is caught and retained in the chamber with no possibility of its escape through the opening 26 into the apparatus be yond. The opening 26 is formed as a lateral tube and for safetys sake is bevelled or faced upwardly to guard against splashing of mercury into it and as further precaution, the chamber is provided with a false bottom or baffle 27 perforated or notched near its edge to provide passage for the refrigerant so that thus, under no circumstance can the mercury pass into the apparatus served by the compressor. Such mercury will be retained in the chamber until normal conditions are again established either as the effect of gravity, or as the resumption of cen trifugal operation of the compressor whereupon it will flow through the spirals and back to the compressor. In the case of an initial overfilling of mercury into the compressor the excess will be discharged into the trap there to remain during the run where it will not affect balance but will be available as a reserve supply of mercury in case of loss from any cause, this being a further advantage of the present invention tending to maintain efiiciency. The chambers 24 are preferably mounted above the compressor, but this is not necessary where the pumping action of the compressor will suffice to draw the retained mercury back, or where the fluid compressed in the delivery piping, at the time of shut down, is sufficient to blow the mercury back. As will be understood also tube 26. is located with its open end at about the center of the chamber cavity so that even if the unit is completely inverted as is likely in shipment, none of the piston liquid can escape through it.

The following is claimed:

In a system including fixed piping for gas and an intermittently operated gyratory compressor containing a mass of mercury to form gas-compressing pistons moving in a closed'circuit within said compressor and having a counterweight to balance the weight of saidcompressor and the mercury therein, means tending to preserve said balance in the operation of the system comprising a chamber interposed between said mercury circuit and said fixed piping adapted to intercept and collect mercury entrained with the compressed gas or otherwise displaced from said mercury circuit, and having a capacity suited to hold the Whole displacement of mercury from said circuit, the passage connecting said chamber to said fixed piping having its orifice located therein to avoid receiving mercury particles and the passage connecting said chamber to the mercury circuit having its orifice suitably located in the lower part of said chamber for returning mercury therein through said passage back to the mercury circuit.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

' JAY G. DE REMER. 

